Child Play
by Elia41
Summary: AU. A young street urchin, Kotetsu is one night rescued by the Brooks. A bond forms between the boy and the family and leads to a twist in the relationship between a now adult Kotetsu and Barnaby. A life debt is never fully paid ...
1. By a bloody evening

**By a bloody night**

Night had fallen on the huge megalopolis of Sternbild. The stars twinkled deviously. Though they were hard to see due to the many lights of the city, there were still some places that let the human eye gaze at them. Play with them. The Brooks were in such an area, a badly lit street in the Gold Stage, the highest of the city. Little Barnaby Junior cheered. He and his parents had gone watching Fantasia at the cinema and the movie had totally enraptured him. Two hours of magic and music for the little four-year old boy. This was a night he wasn't about to forget. His father stopped when his foot fell in something liquid. Liquid? It hadn't been raining for a week! What was that? His eyes widened when he saw the red taint on his shoe. Blood? He turned to the origin of the flow and froze. In the half-light of an alleyway was the curled form of a boy. Emily came to him, having noticed her husband was lagging behind. Barnaby Senior looked at her, panic in his eyes.

"Emily, go to the closest phone booth and call the emergencies! We have a wounded child here!"

The woman turned to the alleyway and gasped. She immediately placed a hand on the eyes of her son and left. At the same time, Barnaby Sr. went to the child and uncurled him. It was a ten-year old boy with tanned skin and jet black hairs who was clutching a wound in the abdomen. He was pale, his face contorted in pain and his hands covered in blood. His light blue jacket was a little torn at the bottom and the sleeves, just like his denim shorts and used sneakers. The father growled. He was a robotist, not a doctor! His knowledge in medical care was unfortunately limited. Still, he knew that putting the boy on his back was a bad idea. The blood would go inside him instead and cause internal bleeding. The jacket was sticking to the wound. It may require cleaning later, but right now, it lessened the blood loss. Praying for the emergencies to be quick, he caressed the boy's head.

"Hold on, kiddo. You'll be fine, I promise."

The boy weakly answered, clutching the wound even tighter. He was sweating and, by the stench he gave off, didn't take a decent shower for days. A street urchin, most likely. The hospital car finally arrived and doctors came out to take the boy. One of them winced.

"Knifed. And not in a good place. It isn't the vitals, but a little higher and kiddo was already dead."

"Is there anything to do?" Barnaby Sr. asked.

"Stab wounds are hard to heal. All we can do is clean the wound and apply products that will speed up the cicatrisation. That kid looks tough, though."

"He is most likely a street urchin."

"We noticed. Somebody earned himself a free shower."

The family man was allowed to remain along the boy until they reached the hospital. As they entered the building, the child suddenly opened his eyes to reveal two caramel gems. The next second, they were glowing blue.

"He's a NEXT!"

Under the baffled look of the doctors, the wound started to heal a hundred times faster than it should. Emily and Barnaby were here. They too saw the miracle. For five minutes, the child in the stretchers glowed. Once time ran out, the light faded and the boy returned to sleep. The wound was almost gone.

"What the hell was that?" A doctor asked.

"NEXT ability." Barnaby Sr. answered. "This boy's power seems to enhance his healing skills. Still, I think it would be best if he went by your hands to make sure his wound is completely fine."

"You're right. There are some traces of it left. You can come back tomorrow. We'll keep you updated on his status. I guess he'll want to thank you for saving him."

"Sure."

The man looked at his son, then at his wife.

"Five minutes."

"Just like our little Benny. I noticed he healed quite fast when his ability was active. Do you think …?"

"That they could have the same power? The possibility exists, Emily, but what are the odds of such an event occurring?"

"Still more than a NEXT receiving two powers."

"You're right. Some days, I wish I knew more about biology."

As promised, the next morning, the hospital called the Brooks about the young street urchin. The boy had awoken earlier and was resting in a bed, silent, a dreamful look in his eyes. His wound had mostly healed, but there was only so much the boy's powers could do in five minutes. Samples gathered on the scar had revealed that, indeed, the healing factor had been amplified by a hundred. The Brooks cheered. Their son, Barnaby Jr. could increase his physical abilities a hundredfold for exactly five minutes. The coincidence was incredible.

"You know what they say." Emily smiled. "Hazard is God undercover."

They quickly reached the hospital and asked to see the boy. The Brooks were well-known robotists. People knew them, so finding the child was easy. The boy turned to them when they knocked. A nurse was accompanying them.

"Here. These are the people that rescued you last night. They want to know how you're doing."

"Fine, thanks to your help."

Barnaby Sr. smiled.

"So, your wound is completely healed now, right?"

"Not yet. I'll still need a day to recover."

Emily's eyes became serious.

"We found you in the street. Do you have a family?"

The boy lowered his head.

"I used to have one. Ran away from it."

"Who are they?"

The boy turned to the family, angry.

"Do you want to arrest them?"

"If you ran away, there had to be a reason."

"Yes. I'm a monster." The boy clenched his fists. "I … I am a NEXT. When my father found out, he called me a monster, told Mom it was her fault and left home. I thought that, maybe, if I left, Dad would return. I always call home to know if he's back. It's been four months now. He hasn't returned."

A shiver ran among the couple. NEXTs were heavily discriminated against. Even they tried to keep their son's powers hidden. The boy had been victim of it, and from his own father at that!

"What's your name, boy?" The adult kindly asked.

"Kotetsu Kaburagi, Sir."

The man nodded.

"Well, nice to meet you Kotetsu."

The boy answered with a shy smile. Before leaving, Barnaby Sr. gave him his address. If he needed anything, he would always be welcome. The boy seemed baffled by the offer but kept the paper. He was released the next morning.

"That should teach me to prowl around this part of the Gold Stage. For a place with more policemen than trees in a park, there are some nasty bad guys around. Maybe I should return to Bronze Stage."

But the Gold Stage of Sternbild was the richest. Kotetsu would earn more by staying at this level than by returning to the lowest one. Besides, though the security was tighter, and this for a reason, there was also less concurrence. And he got to see the Heroes directly rather than through a TV screen. The boy was a fan of Heroes, especially Mr. Legend. After he helped the man stop a bank robbery, the hero had convinced him that his powers weren't a curse but a gift. With them, he had the strength to do amazing feats to rival that of Sternbild's Heroes. But, right now, Kotetsu was a street urchin. His powers, which allowed him to increase his physical abilities by a hundred for five minutes, were mainly here to help him evade the police. It was always the police. Never the Heroes. They had bigger criminals to arrest than a hungry kid.

His hideout was located in a decaying building whose construction had been stopped several years ago. The place was rather comfy and much better than a crate house under a bridge, which had been his previous home. Also, the scaffolding and machines used for construction were still there. For Kotetsu it was the best playground ever. At the hospital's cafeteria, he asked if he could leave with some milk and several pastries. Aware of his status as a street urchin, the staff supplied him. Life was hard for kids like him. As soon as he was home, he packed the food away and put the paper on his bed table. Next, he took the remote and watched the TV. The little screen was semi-functional at best, but it was still enough for him. As long as he could see the Heroes …

* * *

**Hello! Here is yet another attempt at making a good Tiger & Bunny fanfic. I hope this one will be better received ... Anyway, what if Kotetsu and Barnaby knew each other as children? How would they be as adult Heroes? Good question, right?**

**Let's answer it ...**


	2. Powers, people and Heroes

**Powers, people and Heroes**

People say it is his upbringing that makes a hero. Others say powers are like a weapon: they are only as evil as their owner. Kotetsu was musing about this as he crossed the streets of the Gold Stage. It was night again. The boy liked nighttime. It was peaceful.

_Hush, little baby, it's night again.  
Do you hear the lone wolf singin'?  
He praises the Moon who smiles at him  
And the stars wink, silent witnesses._

The boy wasn't a wolf. He was a tiger. The Ko in his name used the symbol for 'tiger'. He smiled when he saw his feet had taken him by the home of the Brooks. Though he didn't need anything, he was curious to see how they were doing. They had saved his life. For the boy, there was the implication he'd have to return the favor one day. Being half-Japanese, he had a natural sense of honor. Kotetsu grinned. He was half-American half-Japanese, his family living in a typical oriental village in the countryside, five hours away from Sternbild. Now, the boy was a street urchin. This was why he was reluctant to enter the estate. The Brooks were rich and, to what he heard, important scientists who specialized in robotics. What would people say about them if they saw the tan-skinned boy in their house? Kotetsu thought for a moment. He didn't have to knock at the door. Simply climbing the gutter of a nearby house and watching from a window would be enough.

Barnaby Sr. was cutting a slice of cake for his son when the feeling of being watched made him turn. In the clear light of the moon, the silhouette of a teenager could be seen, watching the family atop a roof. The father smiled. He knew perfectly who it was. Emily noticed him too.

"It seems we'll have a visitor tonight."

"Indeed. Shall I save him some cake?"

Their son looked at the window as well. Kotetsu saw him and held a smile. When Barnaby Sr. waved at him, he answered and took a bundle of rope. The end was tied to a knife he used as a makeshift grappling hook. It didn't always work but, most of times, when there was an emergency, he used his powers anyway. Tying the other end to a chimney, he threw the knife to the Brooks' roof. The tool landed head-first in the cleft of their chimney. The boy frowned. He wasn't sure it would hold and braced himself for a fall if the zip line went to fail him. It didn't. Soon, the boy was on the other roof. Now what? Would he dare to enter or would he simply sit there? Then he heard noise that sounded a little too much like someone breaking in.

Barnaby Sr. clenched his fists. How dared these men break into his house!? They were three, masked and with firearms.

"Keep quiet and nobody will be hurt!"

One of them was watching over the family while the other two started ransacking the place. The patriarch could only watch, powerless. The lives of his families came before his wealth. You can build a fortune back, but a wife and son weren't so easily recovered. And there was no way he could warn either the police or the Heroes. The sound of broken glass made him turn. Before he could understand, a glowing blur had punched the burglar's face and was glaring at him.

"Next time, target another house!"

The man massaged his painful jaw to see an angry boy with glowing body and eyes. His partners came out of the rooms and raised a brow.

"A child?"

"Wait, this one is a NEXT!"

"Damn right."

One fired a submachine gun. Kotetsu quickly dashed past the barrage and delivered a violent uppercut. The third thug tried to punch the boy, only for him to seize the fist and push back. Another punch had the same result.

"Leave this place. Now. Or else I'm calling the police."

To make his point, he shifted his stance and effortlessly threw the burglar through the window he had broken. A painful cry told him he had landed in the rose bush. Emily winced. She knew the bush had some nasty thorns. The burglars slowly rose and looked at the boy. Kotetsu was rather small, but his face was fierce. And, unlike him, they had no superpowers. Fleeing by the window, they took their fallen comrade. Sirens and the cringing of tires told the family that the police had come and would quickly catch the criminals. Gunfire and cries confirmed it. Kotetsu turned to see Barnaby Sr. holding a phone with a stern face. The boy looked at the door. The moment the policemen entered the house, the boy jumped out and quickly reached the roof. He crossed the gap in a single jump.

"Are you alright, Sir?"

The elder of the Brooks nodded.

"A young boy made the burglars run away. It gave me time to call you."

"Brave boy. Where is he?"

"He fled when you entered." Emily answered. "He's a street urchin, so I think you scared him."

The policeman looked down.

"That's a shame. We'd have congratulated him. Still, for a boy to fend off three grown men …"

Barnaby Sr. looked down.

"He is a NEXT we rescued some days ago. I gave him our address and saw him watching us from the other roof before these men entered. I think he wanted to repay the favor."

"A careless move. You never know what these kids want, and the super-powered ones are especially dangerous. Looks like you met an honest one. They're rare."

"Indeed. I wonder if he'll come back. I had saved him some cake …"

The policeman chuckled. What a kind family!

Kotetsu jumped from roof to roof. He didn't think the Brooks would be attacked while he was watching them. A chance he was nearby! For a moment, he considered visiting them again, to know if they were alright. He chose against. The family had better to do than bothering with a street boy. He returned to his hideout and lay on his bed. The stars watched him fall asleep.

The next morning, the boy decided to find something to eat. There was nothing in the fridge or any of the cupboards and the boy had eaten nothing last night. Fortunately, there was a tree in the park at Gold Avenue that made some of the sweetest apples he knew. Taking a bag, he headed there … and quickly revised his plan when he saw the Heroes holding a charity party around. Not a good place to make a heist! Well, if he sat in the tree and ate apples while watching the show, who'd blame him? It as a public park, after all. He watched with a smile as the Heroes gathered money for various associations, thanking the contributors as they cashed their gifts. Mr. Legend seemed to be the center of attention. A bullet suddenly whizzed past his cheek.

The Heroes turned to the source of the bang. There was an old man with a straw hat and a shotgun looking at a kid Legend quickly recognized.

"Get down here, you brat!"

Kotetsu winced. The man was the warden of this park. He had met him several times before. It wasn't the first time he had to deal with that bloody shotgun. Quick, he stuffed several apples in his bag and jumped down. The warden aimed the gun. Kotetsu jumped away and started running. Legend seized the weapon before the old man could fire another shot.

"Are you crazy!? Do you want to hurt this boy or something?"

"It's the fourth time this brat steals apples from that tree! Enough is enough! If you don't want to deal with him, I will!"

The stout hero turned to his friends.

"Well, looks like we have a target, today."

Glitterdust, a woman in a pink fairy outfit, looked at the child who was waiting by the fence.

"This is just a harmless boy. Do you think he's worth it?"

"She's right." Stealth Soldier added. "Can't the police handle it?"

"This brat is a NEXT!" The warden retorted. "The police never managed to get him!"

Legend nodded. He remembered the boy's powers. Also, he had read something in the newspapers about a family rescued by a street urchin with super strength. The child had fended all three burglars single-handedly, apparently in return for them saving his life. The description fit the boy quite closely.

"Don't worry. Let's just retrieve the apples and scold him. I've seen him before. He isn't malicious. Just hungry."

"Well, if he is hungry, why doesn't he beg like everybody else?"

"Because he's a NEXT. He has a less humiliating way to get food thanks to his powers."

"Then tell him to target another tree!"

"Can't do that!" Kotetsu playfully answered. "Those apples are just too juicy!"

The Heroes looked at one another and nodded. Soon, they were on his heels. Kotetsu grinned. He had never been chased by the Heroes before. Time to see what his powers were worth against them. There were five people behind him. Mr. Legend had the ability to alter his body in any way he wanted, which allowed him to become either completely invulnerable or light enough to float, or even enhance his chest so his roar could blast people away. It was a very versatile power. Next was Stealth Soldier. The man could become totally invisible by copying the color of his surroundings. His strongest point was that no one ever saw him coming. After Stealth Soldier was Glitterdust. The woman's ability was teleportation. Her name was due to the fact that she left a kind of glittering powder every time she teleported. People called it fairy dust and it sold rather well among fans. The fourth member was Landslide. Simply put, the man could control earth. Kotetsu read somewhere that this skill was called "Geokinesis". An elemental ability, whose potency went according to the user's power level and his imagination. Finally, the last Hero was Ghost Shadow and was gifted with intangibility. The man was a breeze. You saw him, you heard him, but good luck catching him! Being a Hero fan, Kotetsu knew a lot about his pursuers. This would work in his favor. His power activated.

Legend frowned. Thanks to his enhanced strength, the boy was now much faster. He closed his eyes and lessened his weight until he was floating. Some more modifications and he was speeding after his prey. Landslide had summoned a rock he was skating on while Glitterdust was teleporting ahead, but the boy was clever. Stealth Soldier and Ghost Shadow had bikes they quickly revved and raced after their friends. Kotetsu jumped out of the park and went to the closest building he quickly scaled. Glitterdust took a moment to appreciate the boy's agility. Being no other than ten, it was surprising that a child so young was able to scale a five-stories tall house without much effort. Landslide passed by her.

"Don't fall behind!"

"Not a problem!"

The next second, she was on top of the building. Kotetsu was already at the other side. He quickly jumped between the walls of an alleyway and ran out in the streets, dodging Stealth Soldier when he stopped before him. The boy took his favorite path, that of narrow streets and winding pathways that made a labyrinth in the district he was living in. The Heroes were surprised by his resilience. The boy didn't seem to give up and he using his enhanced physique for free-running made him rather hard to catch. Vaulting over fences, jumping between walls like they were platforms, choosing narrow paths he knew the Heroes would have trouble crossing and using his rope-knife when his powers disappeared, he made the race last a full hour. The members of Hero TV had been filming the event and could hardly believe it.

"This is incredible! Those Heroes who caught countless criminals are being held off by a mere child! Will this devious boy manage what no one has done before? Will he escape our Saviors of Justice? This race has lasted an hour now, and the boy's resourcefulness has so far proved better than the Heroes' tenacity."

The Brooks were watching the race and had been surprised to see the young boy they had saved. Little Barnaby was cheering for the Heroes while his parents were impressed by Kotetsu's skills.

"If this child becomes a Hero, the criminals can start sweating cold. I never saw anyone give the Heroes so much trouble."

Emily smiled.

"Especially if we outfit him with out latest creation. The nano-metal will soon undergo its final testing phase. If it's positive, we will use it to make armor and accessories for the Heroes."

Down the streets, Kotetsu had finally been cornered by Mr. Legend. The gutters were too high for his rope knife to reach them and his powers had yet several more minutes of cooldown. Legend looked at him, smugly smiling and his arms crossed.

"Well, that was quite a challenge you gave us here, kid. I wasn't expecting this from you. To evade us for half an hour …"

Kotetsu looked around. After some thinking, he took his bag and handed it to the hero before running away. He didn't go far. The other four protectors of Sternbild appeared before him. And all seemed ready to catch him.

"Naughty boy! No one taught you stealing was bad? What would your mother say if she knew?"

The boy glared at Glimmerdust.

"It doesn't matter. I won't be coming home as long as my father is away."

"Is that why you're in the streets?" Stealth Soldier asked. "Because you ran away?"

"My father called me a monster and left us! I thought he'd return if I left …"

The Heroes looked at one another. Usually, children left home because they had enough of their family. Kotetsu's case put a new twist on the tale.

"Basically, he left home to bring his parents back together." Landslide weakly said. "Any chance so far?"

"… None."

His stomach growled loudly. The chase had made him even hungrier. Legend checked his watch.

"Almost midday. I don't know about you, but I don't feel like punishing a boy who left for the sake of his family and barely manages to eat his fill. Up for a snack, kiddo?"

The boy's eyes lit up.

"For real!?"

"Yep. Come on, guys! It's all on me!"

The four Heroes looked at one another. The boy wasn't a criminal. They had no reason to hurt him. That day, the audience was treated to the sight of a real act of kindness: the Heroes eating together with a young street urchin who was not only a NEXT but also a victim of his condition. Kotetsu gladly swallowed the burger and cola he was offered. He never had enough for a decent meal.

"So your name is Kotetsu. What's your power, already? It seems quite efficient."

"Not really. It only lasts for five minutes and I have trouble controlling it at times. What it does is enhance by body a hundredfold. That's why you had trouble catching me. I was a hundred times stronger than usual."

"And being a street child, you're naturally resilient. Tell me, do you want to become a Hero?"

"Of course! I love Heroes! Especially you! You're awesome!"

Legend blushed under the comment. The boy was quite excited. He showed the Hero the rope knife he used during the chase and confirmed his suspicion that he was the boy who rescued the Brooks.

"A tool, superpowers and already a rescue up your hit list! You've made an early start, boy."

Kotetsu grinned.

"Thanks! Dad said I was a monster because of my powers. But it's not true if I use them to help others, right?"

"Indeed. NEXT powers exist to protect those who have no powers. This is why we're Heroes. We want people to see that NEXTs aren't all evil. And … who else can save them from NEXTs who use their powers for wrong? Our powers may be different, but they are a part of us. We can't deny nor forget them." His face became serious. "Our powers are both a gift and a burden. They gift us with amazing abilities but burden us with the responsibility of their use. We NEXTs have to learn to master our powers, so that we command them and not the other way around. I saw some people who turned evil because they had no control over their powers and fell to the belief they had evil abilities. This is wrong. We both know it."

Kotetsu nodded. He fully understood Legend's words and related to them for most. His powers were dangerous and he knew it. This was why people feared him. If he was in control, he could show people they had nothing to fear with him. He had proved it by rescuing the Brooks. That evening, he went to watch the family before returning home. They had replaced the broken window and left a slice of cake for him. Once more, he didn't dare to take it.

* * *

**Sorry I'm a bit late, I wanted to finish my Pokémon story before updating this one. Anyway, I admit I'm quite proud of my work, especially Legend's words at the end. And the fight scene. Only a child, already saving people! And we know why Kotetsu is a street urchin.**

**- Anon: Miguel and Tulio? Yeah, Kotetsu and Barnaby will be a trichy bunch as children. But they won't be alone. More characters coming next chapters.**

**- mrsklemzak: don't worry. K & T being children will make roughly half of the story, maybe a little less. After all, seeing their hcildhood is an important part of the plot ...**

**To the other two reviewers, thanks for the comments. I hope you didn't wait too long. Next chapter is already being written.**

**See you soon! **


	3. Tiger eyes

**Tiger eyes**

November's cold wind blew over the city-state of Sternbild. The days were short, the temperature was falling and it was getting harder to leave home, especially for children. Kotetsu was wearing a denim jacket over a pink long-sleeved shirt and long tissue pants. He had found the clothes in a rummage sale. With winter coming, solidarity chains and volunteering became more and more frequent. The hobos and street people actually relied on them to survive, and even though he didn't like it, so did the boy. The Heroes, as Heroes and civilians alike, often participated. Kotetsu thought he had seen Glitterdust in her civilian clothes serving food to the homeless. Though she was concealing her identity behind a pink butterfly mask, the woman's long black hairs spotted a white strip near the ear that was easily identifiable.

Right now, the boy was looking for food. Stealing wasn't really an option right now and he hated looking in bins. He found it disgusting. Begging? Don't ever think about it! He had his pride as a NEXT. Instead, he used his powers to lend people services and asked either a treat or some coins in exchange. People hardly refused, especially elder ones who found him rather cute. Thus, Kotetsu was wandering a park by Goddess Avenue. A scream made him turn.

"No! Please, no!"

A thief was running away with a handbag. The owner, a middle-aged woman, had fallen on the ground and looked desperate. Kotetsu frowned. His powers were still on cool-down, but he knew the path the thief would take. He knew the park. The closest exit had a set of rather narrow stairs that made them perfect for an ambush. By cutting through the lawn, the boy would reach them before the thief. This is exactly what he did. Running through the grassy areas, he reached the stairs and took his rope knife. The trap was simple: one end of the rope was tied to the railing while the other end was tied to the other side. Classical, but the oldest tricks were always the best. He hid in the bushes and watched the man. He still had the bag. As he took the stairs, his foot was caught by the rope and made him trip. The thief ended falling all the way down, much to the kid's pleasure. Even better, the fall completely stunned him. Kotetsu took his time to pick up the bag and the items scattered around, then climbed the stairs, retrieved his tools and went looking for the woman. She was crying on a bench, with several people around her.

"Excuse me, Madam. Is it yours?"

The woman turned to the boy, tears still running on her face. A bright smile lit it up.

"Oh, yes it is! Thank you so much!"

"Anytime."

The woman looked so relieved Kotetsu didn't have the heart to ask for payback. Instead, he waved and turned away … only to stagger and fall on his knees. Right, he hadn't eaten in a while. This didn't go unnoticed by the woman, who also noticed his poor clothes. Coming to the boy, she helped him stand on his feet.

"Tell me, when was the last time you ate?"

Kotetsu looked away, not willing to answer. Yet, there was something maternal in the woman's eyes that suffered no lie or lack of answer.

"Before yesterday, around 10 PM."

"So you didn't eat anything yesterday? Poor child! Come with me, we'll remedy that."

She took him to a stand that sold warm drinks and pastries and took two sesame buns and a bowl of spiced apple juice, heated of course. Kotetsu thought it tasted a bit like cider. And the sesame buns were delicious. He and the woman bid each other goodbye and went their own ways. Unbeknownst to them, a burly man with blonde beard and hairs had watched the scene. He had a young boy with him.

"Did you see it, Yuri? Even though he helped this woman, he didn't ask anything in return. This boy may not look like it, but he is also a NEXT. And he just did what we Heroes do everyday."

"Why isn't he a Hero, then?" The boy asked.

"Because he is too young. Which company would support him? He's barely over ten! And he is a street urchin. He has nothing but the clothes on his back. If someone were to support him, they'd have to provide him with everything, and I'm saddened to say no one I know would go so far. Not everyone, especially when it comes to businessmen, has a heart as wide as ours."

The young boy looked at his father, Nikolaï Petrov. The man knew what he was talking about. He was Mr. Legend, the King of Heroes. Yuri remembered the chase involving the boy and his father, and how the Heroes had treated him for lunch afterwards. All of this for a bag of apples! But the man was still right. Few people were as kind-hearted as the Heroes. The woman was, and it made him smile.

Samantha was late and she hated it. However, the feeling was easily compensated by the good deed she had done earlier to thank the boy. Poor child! He had every right to ask her for a treat after returning her handbag. That he didn't do it made her heart grow warm. The boy had a very good heart, at least as good as that of the Brooks. She quietly ringed the bell and entered. Emily turned to her.

"This isn't like you to be late, Sam. Has anything happened?"

"Someone stole my handbag. Fortunately, a young boy returned it."

In a few words, she explained the event to the scientist. Emily turned to her husband, who was entering the room.

"Looks like our little benefactor struck again."

"You know this boy?"

"Yes." Barnaby Sr. answered. "We saved his life and he saved ours in return. A good kid … and a NEXT. He's a little street urchin that helps people in exchange of money and food. His name is Kotetsu."

Emily smiled gently.

"He and our little Benny have the same powers. Incredible, isn't it? I hope he becomes a Hero in the future. What he's doing to survive is basically Hero business, though on a smaller scale. Did you know he's the reason we always leave cake by the window? He never takes it, but I can't stop hoping he'll do."

Samantha smiled.

"A good boy indeed. I wonder what happened for him to end on the streets. Any parent would be very happy to have him in his house."

Barnaby Sr. sighed.

"Only one kind of parent would cast away such a boy from its house. His father belonged to that kind."

"Really!? What a jerk! How is it possible that a man could dislike his own son!?"

"Well, remember how Emily said Kotetsu was a NEXT …?"

Later that day, Kotetsu went to a phone booth and dialed a number. He was in a mall and several other booths were lined by his. His call was fast to be answered.

"Kaburagi household. Who's calling?"

"Hello, Mommy."

Anju Kaburagi jumped in happiness.

"Kotetsu! Oh, my dear child, how are you doing? I didn't get any new in ages!"

"I'm doing fine, thanks. Life in the streets is hard, but I'm holding my own. Today, I stopped a thief that had stolen a woman's bag. He wasn't expecting to find my rope-knife tied to the stairs!"

Anju sighed and smiled. She knew what her son was doing to survive. Helping people, mainly, sometimes stealing … Kotetsu's tone became serious.

"Say Mommy, is Dad back home?"

"Not yet, I'm afraid."

Kotetsu closed his eyes, tears rolling from them against his will. Half a year after he left and his father hadn't returned. Would he ever one day? He didn't know. He wished, but the more time went on, the less the boy deluded himself. At this rate, Tyler Kaburagi would never return. Because of him. Because he was a NEXT. It was his fault.

"If only … If only I didn't have these powers, Dad would still be there. We'd still be a family."

"Kotetsu, don't say that! You never asked to have these powers. It isn't your fault you happened to be a NEXT. Hazard simply made it so."

The phone suddenly changed hands and a deeper voice echoed.

"Kotetsu, Tora-chan, you know you can go home anytime, right? Dad may have left, but we're still there. This place is still your home, and it will be as long as we live there. You can return anytime you want, okay?"

"Thank you, nee-san. But I can't accept. If Dad knows I'm home, he'll refuse to enter. As long as I'm away, there's a chance for him to come back and be with you again. You miss him, right?"

Muramasa looked down. His brother had a point.

"You're willing to forfeit your family and home just so Dad, Mom and I can be together!?"

"Yes. I am. It was nice hearing about you, nee-san. See you."

"Kotetsu, wait!"

Too late. The boy had already hung up. A woman looked from afar. She had heard the entire conversation. As she watched the boy pass her, though, she couldn't hold the shivers that ran through her back. His eyes were just so sad! And yet, they were also incredibly pretty. Give him a few years and a happier life and the boy would become one sexy dude. Tan skin, black hairs, eyes that had a strange honey-like shade and a body that was slim yet muscular from the life in the streets, if he kept these traits as an adult, there was no doubt in Chloe's mind that half of Sternbild would be at the beck and call of his good looks. Especially now that the tears were making his eyes shine like jewels. Speaking of which …

Kotetsu was walking by a jewelry with his hands in his pockets when a woman came to his side.

"You look sad for such a cute boy."

The boy turned to the woman. She was tall, with black hairs spotting a white strip above the ear and navy blue eyes. She was wearing a pink pullover with red pants and black shoes and had soft features. Her smile was kind.

"I got bad news from my family, that's all. Looks like I'm never gonna go home again."

"Your father hasn't returned yet?"

Kotetsu turned to the woman and frowned.

"How do you know that!?"

Chloe chuckled.

"Right, you don't know who hides behind the mask of Heroes. Well, you should have guessed by now."

The boy's eyes widened as his voice lowered.

"Glitterdust! There's only one girl among Heroes."

"Guessed right. You deserve a treat. How about some hot chocolate?"

Kotetsu's eyes lit up. This didn't go unnoticed.

"You have pretty eyes, you know? When you're crying, they shine like …" Her eyes fell on the jewelry's front. "Tiger eyes! I didn't notice, but your eyes are the same color as tiger eyes!"

The boy turned to the front and saw it. It was a bracelet adorned with honeyish gems that spotted darker stripes eerily reminiscent with that of feline eyes. And indeed, Kotetsu's eyes and the gems shared the same honey color. Chloe smiled at the sight.

"Pretty, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I didn't know."

A beeping suddenly came from the woman's bracelet.

"Looks like the people need me. It was a chance encounter seeing you there, Kotetsu. And kid?"

"Yes, madam?"

"No good deed goes unrewarded. I watched you from afar. Were you older, we'd gladly welcome you among Heroes. Hold on a few years, and I know all the good you've done will be rewarded one day."

Kotetsu smiled. The Heroes were really great people. He looked at the bracelet one last time and left. Out of habit, he went to check on the Brooks. The family was playing together, smiling and laughing. It reminded him of his own childhood, before it turned out he was a NEXT. Suddenly, the young boy's eyes became blue, which caused his parents to jump away. Kotetsu and young Barnaby had the same ability: hundredfold-enhanced physical abilities for five minutes. But, as the Japanese boy had come to understand, the power multiplication was only based on what you already had. If you were fat or slim as a twig, you couldn't get much of a boost. One time a hundred was still only a hundred after all. However, if you were a bodybuilder, a hundred times a hundred gave one very nice upgrade in strength. This was why he could bend iron bars while little Barnaby could barely lift his father. Kotetsu laughed at the sight. The boy was so clumsy and cute! But the Brooks noticed him.

"Looks like we have a visitor. Why don't you come down there?" Barnaby Sr. asked. "We still have some of that fruit cake Emily made yesterday."

Kotetsu shook his head.

"No thanks. I'm not hungry."

It was a lie. The boy was always hungry. But the Brooks were famous upper classmen and scientists and he didn't want to tarnish their reputation by showing at their side. What would people say if they saw the Brooks playing with a street rat? The boy and the family were standing on both ends of the social ladder, a fact Kotetsu was fully aware of. This was why he interacted as little as possible with the family, all the while remaining on friendly terms. Night was falling, so he returned to the mall where he'd met Glitterdust. He was right to do so.

From the broken glass of the front store emerged five men with heavy bags. Burglars. Kotetsu was hidden behind a bin so they didn't see him. The boy, however, saw the car they got in and swiftly climbed on top. He wasn't a Hero, but these guys just stole a lot of jewelry, including the bracelet with tiger eyes. Any other kid, especially street urchins, would've let the men get away. Not Kotetsu. He was a NEXT who used his powers to help people. Unless those guys were NEXT too, and even then nothing told their powers would give them the edge, the boy could easily deal with them. He had done it before. Burglars, thieves, murderers, the Brooks were only an example. It didn't matter those guys were adults. He was still a hundred times stronger than a regular kid, not to say more due to his current life. So he followed them to a warehouse in the docks. The inside of the place made him smile. There were lots of construction tools and barrels filled with oil and chemicals, and a scaffolding was hanging from the ceiling. Tricky as he was, if his powers were to fail him, he could easily fall back on those. He still had his rope-knife, after all. As soon as the burglars got their loot out of the car, he attacked.

Dave Stanler never knew what hit him. One second he was thinking about the money he'd get by selling these jewels on the black market, the other he was face against the ground with a violent ache in the back. He had enough strength to turn and see a boy with a glowing blue body punch his friend Steve in the jaw, knocking him cold. The boy turned to the third thug and rushed to him, only to duck out of the way when said thug fired a semi-automatic at him. Despite being enhanced by his power, bullets were still an issue. So he circled the man, who was soon joined by his two remaining friends. The boy groaned. As long as they had guns, his powers were no use. He wasn't fast enough to outrun a bullet yet. Instead, he decided to jump behind a pile of oil barrels. The fire stopped instantly.

"Damn it! If we gun these barrels, there's gonna be oil everywhere!"

"And then, one wrong move and the place goes down in flames. I'm not taking risks."

"Especially with the loot! There's at least for half a billion Stern Dollars in these bags!"

Kotetsu gulped. So much!? These guys had done a more impressive job than he thought with that robbery. Looks like he was right to have tailed them. Taking a barrel, he threw them at the group who scattered to avoid it. Perfect! The boy jumped from his hideout and punched one of the thugs in the stomach. The man doubled over in pain. The two swiftly took their firearms the moment his powers faded. Fortunately, even without them, Kotetsu had good reflexes. He managed to hide behind the car, which forced the other two to hold their fire, and ran to a steel pillar he climbed. His rope knife was in his mouth, ready to use. The two men growled.

"No way you'll escape us!"

Their fired, but the boy had planned ahead. He jumped, twirled his weapon and threw it to a beam near the ceiling. The knife was stuck between metal bars, which allowed the boy to climb it. The sheer audacity of the plan was the only reason the two men didn't do anything. They should've. Suddenly, the door burst open to reveal all five Heroes. Kotetsu grinned.

"Took them long enough. Well, looks like they have their job cut down for them …"

The Heroes remained motionless for a second. They were expecting to find five men armed to the teeth with huge bags of jewels, and instead they found two men with semi-automatics gunning after a kid they knew all-too-well. Glitterdust turned to the four men.

"Somehow, I'm not surprised to find him there."

Ghost Shadow shook his head.

"A ten-year-old street urchin against a gang of armed robbers. Once this mess is over, I want him to tell us how he managed to stay alive."

Stealth Soldier shrugged.

"This boy is a NEXT. His powers have a time limit, but they're potent. Now, if you don't mind …"

Legend grinned.

"Let's get to business. This boy made our task very easy."

The two thugs immediately realized the mess they were in. They were two, armed with half-empty guns and with no powers whatsoever, against a team of five superpowered crime fighters. No chance they'd win.

"Stay where you are!"

The Heroes turned to see the three other burglars, having regained consciousness and holding a lighter against one of the open oil barrels.

"Guys, charge the loot! You Heroes try anything, we spill that barrel and set it ablaze!"

The Heroes growled. If Glitterdust teleported or Stealth Soldier disappeared, they were goners. Suddenly, a rope tied to a knife wrapped itself around he man's arm and yanked it away from the barrel. A swift hand seized the lighter, threw it afar and turned to punch the man in the stomach. His powers were still inactive, but the poor thug hadn't seen Kotetsu's attack coming and was taken by surprise. This was enough. Ghost Shadow rushed to the two burglars by the loot, turning immaterial to breeze through the hail of bullets and knocked them out. Glitterdust had teleported herself and Legend by the three burglars. The girl slammed the edge of her hand on one man's neck while Legend simply punched the two others to submission. Finally, Landslide used his powers to seal the barrel with earth, thus preventing any unfortunate accident. Kotetsu watched in glee.

"Looks like he didn't completely chew the job for us." Stealth Soldier smiled. "I still wasn't expecting the stunt with the rope knife."

"I don't use it just to move around." Kotetsu grinned. "When I need to, it's also a weapon, but I prefer using my fists. They're less dangerous."

"A wise decision."

Ghost Shadow crossed his arms.

"Still, how many times does it make that we find you meddling with _our_ business?"

Kotetsu sheepishly crossed his arms in his back.

"Well, I just happened to see these guys steal the jewels. I have superpowers too, so I thought I could take care of them. If only they didn't have these guns! I can't shrug bullets well enough yet. I mean, they only hurt a little, but the wounds are still troublesome to deal with."

The Heroes looked at one another in disbelief.

"Okay, I guess some clarifications are in order. This is a kid - and also a NEXT but still a kid – who lives in the streets, spends his days stealing food and helping people, has nothing to help him but a rudimentary rope-dart, and still proves to be incredibly resilient, fights grown adults with not an ounce of fear and, when faced with hardened criminals, decides to take them all at once and save the day despite it being _our_ job as Heroes of Justice. Now, usually, when a kid sees robbers or murderers, he either hides away or calls the police. This one? He follows them to their hideout and deals with them single-handedly when the sensitive thing would've been to wait for us or tell us their location! Also, he's a street urchin. He has more chance to become one of them than one of us. Did I forget something?"

"I take offense on the '_street urchin means future criminal_' part."

Legend held back his laugh. Landslide didn't.

"Mouthy brat! Not even being faced with the five Heroes of Sternbild makes him lose his cool! You know, I'm starting to like him."

Stealth Soldier grinned.

"This boy sure doesn't lack courage. I disagree with Ghost, he is more likely to become a Hero than a thug. He is completely fearless, and his heart is already in the right place. Give him a few years and I'll happily work at his side."

Glitterdust smiled.

"I think he deserves a reward. Let's see …"

Landslide raised a brow when he saw her look over the jewels.

"You're … not going to help yourself on these, are you?"

"We Heroes may help people because we want to, but it doesn't change the fact we're paid for it. This boy does what we do nearly every day, and all he receives is due to charity or because he got it himself. He deserves a reward equal to the work he did. That should do."

Having rummaged among the jewels, she finally found it. It was the silver bracelet with tiger eyes she'd seen earlier. Taking it, she placed it on Kotetsu's wrist. The size was too great, so she locked the clasp on one of the rings between the third and fourth gem. The boy had thin wrists. The Heroes watched him make the jewel shine under the light. Legend looked at the Heroine.

"Are you sure it's a wise decision?"

"If the shop keeper wants retribution, I'll pay for this bracelet myself. Now, how do we do for the points?"

In the end, the five Heroes shared the capture of the criminals and received five hundred each. As for Kotetsu, he was allowed to go free with his prize and a rub on the head by Legend. The event had gone on TV, so the Brooks had watched it all.

"This boy will never cease to impress me. I hope he and our little Benny become great men in the future."

"I don't see why they wouldn't." Emily smiled. "Raised correctly, our Benny will become a nice and intelligent man who won't have to suffer for being different, and Kotetsu will become a gentle and caring person who puts the need of others before his own. Look at him, this boy's heart is so huge!"

"What makes you think so?"

"I don't think so, Honey. I know so."

"You're very optimistic these days, Milly."

Emily Brooks smiled.

"Seeing this boy, Kotetsu, always makes me happy. More exactly, he makes me hope."

"Hope?"

"Yes." The woman sighed. "When I see him, a young street urchin who left home for the sake of his family rather than in childish anger, and I see what he's doing, he reminds me how you shouldn't judge someone by his background and appearance, but by his words and acts. Ghost Shadow was right when he said street urchins more often than not become criminals. And yet, I know Kotetsu will never be one. He will be a Hero."

"Speaking of judging people by their actions rather than their words, there have been worrisome rumors regarding Maverick."

"Albert?"

"Yes." Barnaby Sr. lowered his voice. "Rumors he's in league with the criminal syndicate Ouroboros, and he's providing them with equipment to make them more dangerous."

Emily rose from her seat.

"This cannot be!"

"I wish it wasn't. But I have proofs, Milly. One of my assistants heard him on the phone with one of their members. I want to figure his goals and projects before confronting him, but that doesn't change the fact our dear Albert is very likely in league with an important criminal syndicate."

Emily clenched her fist and looked at her son, sleeping blissfully in her arms.

"If that's true, we have to stop Maverick."

"How? Albert is very influential due to owning Hero TV. No, I think our main priority is preventing him from getting his hands on our work. The nanometal has finished its testing phase and will soon be put to use, but there are still some projects I want to keep away from him. The grappling hook-watch, for starter."

"You're right. If Ouroboros was to put their hands on our research … Honey, I'd rather die than see our work be used by criminals. What wil you do?"

Barnaby Sr. looked at the TV.

"I think I have an idea …"

* * *

**Sorry for the long wait, here's the third chapter. Yep, even as a kid, Kotetsu was already tough as a nail ... and completely reckless. Five burglars who just stole half a billion worth of jewels? Bring it on, its time to dance! And the Heroes are _not_ all happy with it, especially since he's basically stealing their job! That brat! As for the Brooks, things are taking an ugly turn ...**

**Thanks for those who reviewed, I really appreciate. I hope you liked this chapter as well.**

**See you soon!**


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